About

Reading is an essential skill. It is arguably the major building block in the foundation of a successful education and, ultimately, a successful life. Children who fall behind in reading are unlikely to catch up without intervention.

Reasons why reading to and with children is important:

Reading promotes language skills which are essential to school success

Reading facilitates brain development

Reading exposes children to new and exciting ideas, places and people

Reading promotes relationships; reading to or with a child is a social activity

Reading improves a child's self-confidence.

Importantly, EQAO (Education Quality and Accountability Office, Ontario) results for grade 3 reading reveal a startling number of schools in which more than half the children tested score below the desired level for the grade.